5 things you should be carrying in your wallet (and what you shouldn’t)

Your wallet should be a place of calm and organisation where you can find everything you need quickly and easily. More so, your wallet shouldn’t be bulging, bulking or even be noticeable to people. After all, you don’t want it to become an an easy target for pickpockets (that’s why we love a slim wallet!). So, whether you’re off to work for the day, going on a journey or just popping to the shops, these are the things you should definitely carry around and what you should keep at home.

Always Carry:

1. Credit/Debit Cards

As a rule only ever carry two cards; one debit and one credit are enough. Any more than that and you’re going to be fumbling at the checkout. If you have to carry a credit card for work purposes, only take it with you during work days otherwise, it’s just taking up valuable space for no reason.

2. Cash

Whilst many of us now use cards to make payments, and some of us even use our phones and apps, it’s always useful to carry an emergency stash of cash. We prefer to have £20 on hand in case we need to hail a cab, tip a waiter or buy an ice cream.

3. Business Cards

Whether you work for yourself or not, carrying a few business cards is always something we recommend. Not only does as business card double up as contact info if your wallet is lost, but you never know when you might need to give out your email or phone number. Hint: as a handy extra we always keep a business card tucked into the back of our phone case. That way if it’s lost someone can reach out (we hope!).

 4. Identification

Carry around just one form of identification in your wallet, it will come in useful if you fancy a drink at a cool bar after work and are one of the lucky ones to look under 21!

5. Reward and Point Cards

Subject to where you are going, it might be useful to take along a reward card. If we’re popping to the shops we just add it into our slim wallet but remember to always remove it the next day and store it in a safe place at home.

Never Carry: 

1. Birth Certificate/Passport

Never carry your birth certificate or passport in your wallet. You’re just making it easier for identity thieves to clone your information. You only need to take a passport when travelling abroad, and a birth certificate on a rare few occasions.

2. PINs and Passwords

If you’re one of the many that has trouble remembering PINs and passwords, don’t carry these in your wallet. If it's stolen or lost anyone will be able to gain access to all of your personal accounts.

3. Spare Key

Carrying your wallet and spare key in the same place is not advisable. Lose your wallet (which contains your ID and address) and the key will give easy access for someone to enter your home. If you're worried about getting locked out, give your key to a trusted family member or friend.

4. Receipts

Receipts are just one of those annoying items that live in the bottom of a wallet, scrunched up and forgotten about. Stay organised and file useful receipts at home, anything you don’t need just throw away immediately.

5. Cheques/Checks

If you do use cheques on a regular basis don’t be tempted to carry blank cheques in your wallet. To a thief these are just easy temptations. Carry a debit or credit card instead.

Looking to keep your cards safe? Read these tips to keep your card protected and avoid skimming. Plus, view our range of slim wallets to help you stay organised, safe and chic here. 

Photo Credit: Garzini. Featuring the Magic Wallet. Click here to view.